Mason stood in the glistening night, knowing their next decision would mean life or death.
‘These are his streets,’ Roxy said. ‘His environment. He thrives in situations like this.’
Mason didn’t move, his eyes fixed on the place where he’d seen the movement. He couldn’t be sure that it was Daga, but then …
… what if it was?
‘Form up,’ he said.
His team made a circle around him, watching every direction. Mason, trusting them, took his eyes off the street and put cupped hands to either side of his nose. This was going to hurt.
‘Happy to help with that, Joe,’ Roxy said again. ‘You should really have someone do it for you.’
Mason grunted. Roxy was being far too insistent, almost as if she looked forward to it. Mason took a deep breath, fixed his palms on either side of the dislodged cartilage, and pushed as hard as he could. Instant pain lanced through him, and he couldn’t stop the bellow escaping. The noise of it seemed to flow up at the skies along with the spear of pain. He heard a crunch. Tears blinded his eyes. For a second, there was so much pain he couldn’t breathe.
Then it was over. He looked up to find Roxy staring at him.
‘Shit,’ she said. ‘You’ve bent it the wrong way. Now it’s twice as bad.’
Mason knew enough to give her the finger and wipe the tears from his eyes. He winced at the remembered pain and the cracking sound as his nose went back into place. He looked back the way they’d come, saw lurid, flashing lights painting the walls back there.
‘Can’t go back,’ he said. ‘Can’t go forward.’
‘Can’t stay on these side streets,’ Sally said.
‘We should go somewhere public,’ Hassell said, always thinking. ‘Somewhere very public.’
‘In Monaco?’ Mason said. ‘I know just the right place.’
They retraced their steps to a side road that was well lit and started down it when they saw several groups of people wandering ahead, clearly revellers. It was relatively close to the main street where the cops were now situated, but not dangerously close. Of course, they knew Daga would track them, stay in the shadows, and follow, hoping for an opportunity to strike …
… if it even was Daga out there.
Mason believed it was. Daga would do this: double back to strike and kill and maim the same night. They hurried along the back street in close formation, ready for anything, until they caught up a few loud groups and then slowed down.
Quaid spoke as they walked. ‘I had to go with my calling back there,’ he told them. ‘Daga and Ivana were targeting members of the public. I couldn’t let them all just run into the violence.’
Mason squeezed his nose to gauge how tender it was. ‘You helped a tonne of people, mate.’
‘Thanks. I couldn’t turn my back on them.’
Roxy joined the conversation, her voice low. ‘I did well, too. We all did. We all helped save people. I think … I think I had a breakthrough.’
Mason didn’t stop his surveillance, but glanced at her. ‘Seriously? Fighting Ivana gave you closure?’
‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ Roxy said, eyes roaming. ‘I felt something shift inside, a barrier probably, replaced by something; I just don’t know what yet. And it wasn’t fighting Ivana that helped, it was helping her would-be victims.’
Mason nodded. He’d also saved many from the hands of Daga. ‘Those two,’ he said, ‘are about as far removed from reality as it’s possible to get.’
‘All that,’ Hassell said. ‘Everything we did. And we failed.’
Mason had been trying not to think about it. They’d lost any chance of finding Marduk. Was there any way forward from here?
‘For now, let’s survive,’ Sally said.
Conscious that Daga and Ivana might well be tracking them, they stuck to the main, well-lit streets, Mason leading the way. Twice he saw shadows move to their left, something dark coalescing with something darker, and was forced to direct them back to the main road. They emerged several hundred yards away from the cops, but still with partygoers milling around. It was a busy night in Monaco.
‘Where are we going?’ Roxy asked once. ‘Assuming we’re not leading the murderers back to our hotel rooms.’
‘To somewhere Daga won’t go because it’s too public even for him,’ Mason said. ‘To the most famous place in Monaco.’
They threaded their way through the streets and walked alongside the harbour for a while. They walked up a long hill, a constant stream of cars passing to their left. When they reached the top, Mason indicated to an old building to the right.
‘Casino de Monte-Carlo,’ he said. ‘Spruce up.’
They might be wearing splendid-looking clothes, but they were a bedraggled bunch. They smoothed their jackets and dresses and wiped their faces free of rain and any smears of blood that might remain. They slicked down their hair. To gain entry, they had to look respectable. Mason led them around the side to the front.
Built in 1893, the casino offers a wide, warmly lit edifice accessible by a series of rounded-off stairs that lead through impressive front doors to a marble-paved atrium surrounded by over two dozen Ionic onyx columns. The gaming rooms are decorated with stunning architecture, stained glass windows and striking paintings. Mason had never visited before, but if there was anywhere he didn’t mind losing some money, it was here.
They took a moment to scan the streets all around. The entire area was packed with people. Café de Paris was now to their right and the brasserie to their left. Mason walked up the steps, nodding at the doormen.
Inside, it was cool, air-conditioned, the high golden ceilings swallowing most of the noise. People were standing everywhere, and sets of doors to the left led to the gaming rooms. Mason headed towards the tables he could see.
‘You drowning your sorrows?’ Roxy asked him.
‘We lost this round badly,’ he said. ‘I don’t honestly know where we go from here.’
Inside the gaming room, it was noisy and crowded. Mason saw a bar to the left and headed straight for it. Ten minutes later, they all had drinks and were seated in plush chairs around the front of the bar. A low table sat before them.
‘Is this public enough for you?’ Mason asked rhetorically.
‘I feel like we’re hiding,’ Roxy said. ‘I don’t like it.’
‘Hiding in plain sight,’ Hassell said. ‘I do like it.’
‘The dark is Daga’s domain, the night his playground,’ Quaid said. ‘Let him have it. We’ll take it all back tomorrow.’
Mason leaned forward. ‘He had all the advantages out there,’ he said. ‘This way, we take it away from him. It’s not about running. It’s about being wiser.’
Still, they kept their eyes peeled. They eyed and inspected and measured every figure that entered the gaming room. They vetted every newcomer and the people he or she arrived with.
‘We lost Marduk,’ Quaid said finally. ‘So where do we go from here?’
‘It’s a big setback,’ Mason admitted.
‘We get Premo Conte to lean on the cops to lean on the auction house,’ Sally said. ‘They have to give up Marduk’s details.’
‘Already been tried,’ Mason said. ‘Didn’t work. And besides, by the time they got anywhere, Marduk and his money will be long gone.’
‘Follow the money,’ Hassell reiterated.
‘Marduk could be gone already,’ Sally said.
‘The auction house probably works quickly,’ Mason said. ‘But not that quick. Daga interrupted the auction anyway. They’re probably still waiting for some monies to be transferred.’
‘Which gives us a few hours,’ Hassell said.
‘Maybe a day.’
They drank their cocktails in silence for a while, watching the flow of people and those who lost at the gaming tables. The atmosphere inside the casino was highly charged, the beautifully dressed people enjoying themselves. There was some faint, unobtrusive music playing in the background. Mason watched the room and racked his brains.
It can’t end here.
Daga had shown his hand too early. In a way, the thief had failed too. But though he worked for Marduk, Mason knew that even the Amori leader was not arrogant or dumb enough to reprimand the thief. With Daga, you got what you saw.
‘I have a thought,’ Hassell said. ‘We’ve hit another obstacle, but there still might be a way around it.’
Mason studied every face that passed or turned their way. Yes, they were keeping a low profile, but that didn’t mean Daga wasn’t hunting them.
‘Spit it out,’ Roxy said.
‘Premo Conte,’ Hassell said. ‘He arranged for us to attend that auction at very short notice. That means he leaned on someone.’ Hassell looked from face to face. ‘Do you see? He leaned on someone inside the auction house.’
Sally nodded. ‘Makes sense. I think I know what you’re saying.’
‘If Conte can get us an introduction to this person, then we can use whatever means we can to lean on him again.’
‘Lean on him?’ Sally asked.
‘Whatever it takes,’ Hassell said. ‘Marduk’s still gunning for the Vatican.’
‘And for all we know, the only thing he’s been waiting for is the money,’ Quaid said with an ominous tone to his voice. ‘As soon as he gets it …’ Quaid trailed off.
The table fell into silence. The loud noise of the casino washed over them as they sipped their colourful drinks. Quaid had gone for the Bond martini, shaken, not stirred, and made with Royal Standard as opposed to Beefeater. Roxy was on the rum, after flirting with a special concoction the casino called a Vesper. The others had ordered standard drinks. Mason noticed that his was going down rather quickly.
Torn between wanting to order another and keeping his wits sharp, he scanned the room. This place had a style and charm all its own. It was intoxicating. He thought about what Hassell had said.
‘We lean on the guy at the auction house,’ he said. ‘I like it. How about we call Conte now and tell him that?’
‘It’s a little late right now.’ Sally checked her watch.
‘Just shows we’re doing our job,’ Mason said. ‘He’ll want an update, anyway.’
Sally pulled out her phone.